Weir/Cuthbertson ?.....

[Wee Ann]

I have been trying to help my husband locate some of his Scottish ancestors. We spent some time looking for Susan Weir, as this was how his Great Grandfather always addressed his wife. He didn't just say "Susan", he always called her by what everyone assumed was her full maiden name. "Susan Weir". I have been doing some digging around and all I can come up with is a lady called Susan Weir Cuthbertson.

The information I have is;- James Russell b Lennox 1855 was married to Susan Weir "Cuthbertson" b Whitburn, West Lothian 1860. Their daughter Helen (one of three children) was born in Ardsley, West Yorkshire 1894, where they lived and brought up their family.

There seems to have been some kind of family disagreement, as none of the Yorkshire folks knew any details about the Scottish connection. Not even where in Scotland they came from. It is only since I have taken it in hand that we have what information we have, and I have now come to a grinding halt.

'Uncle Bill' (God bless him) is sure I am wrong about the Cuthberson bit, he can remember his Grandparents and is sure he is the one who is right. I really don't care who is 'right', I just want to know, but this is all I can find.

I would be most appreciative if someone could help me with my puzzle.

Fingers crossed someone can

Best regards

Wee Ann

[SarahND]

Hi Wee Ann,
I think I'm a bit too sleepy to think straight on this one, but I'm unclear on what you have and what you don't have. For instance, there is Susan in the 1861:
The North Side of the Village of Whitburn, West Lothian
John Cuthbertson, 34, head, born Whitburn, West Lothian, Watch Maker
Susan Cuthbertson, 24, wife, born Newmains, Lanark
Susan Cuthbertson, 5 Mo, daughter, born Whitburn, Linlithgow

Which you have probably found? Is what you are looking for, proof that she was the same one who married James Russell? Or do you have their marriage cert already. Sorry, I'm a bit muddled. Better turn in for the night and think about this again tomorrow!
Regards,
Sarah

[Wee Ann]

Hi Sarah,

Thank you for your interest. I had not in fact seen the census you found, but yes! I want to know for sure that Susan Cuthbertson is in fact my husbands great grandmother.

As I said in my original post, I have to be able to convince the family that I have the right woman.

Uncle Bill is a lovely man, and we love him dearly, but how do I tell him that his grandfather was in fact using two of his wife's given names, not her maiden surname?

Best regards

Wee Ann

[DavidWW]

Here's the family.

John Cuthbertson, Mother: Susan Muir
Marriage: 19 AUG 1859 Clyde, Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland

SUSAN WEIR CUTHBERTSON - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Female Birth: 12 NOV 1860 Whitburn, West Lothian, Scotland

MARIA MUIR CUTHBERTSON - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Female Birth: 07 MAY 1862 Whitburn, West Lothian, Scotland

MARIA CUTHBERTSON - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Female Birth: 16 DEC 1864 Whitburn, West Lothian, Scotland

ELIZABETH RUSSELL CUTHBERTSON - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Female Birth: 03 SEP 1866 Whitburn, West Lothian, Scotland


As the 1859 marriage register entry will show, the surname WEIR comes from the previous generation (as does RUSSELL !!)

Always possible that this could be coincidence. The only way of eliminating that possibility is to trace back to this generation, for example finding the presumed RUSSELL/CUTHBERTSON marriage.

David

[AnneM]

Hi to an Ann from an Anne

This may sound like a daft question but do you have the birth certificate of Helen born in Ardsley. What does it say about her mother's maiden name?

Anne

[AnneM]

Hi again

This seems to be the family in 1891 in Seaton Cumbria

Old Company Cottages:

James Russell Head Mar 35 Engine Fitter Scotland Lanarkshire
Susan Russell Wife Mar 30 do do
Susan Weir Russell Daur 10 Scholar do do
Hugh Scott Russell Son 7 do do do
Christina Russell Daur 3 Cumberland Seaton

Susan's birth in 1880 in Shotts gives her mother as Susan Weir Russell m.s. Spence but Hugh's in Cambusnethan gives mother as Susan Weir Russell m.s. Cuthbertson.

It seems that by the time you add your Helen and any more that are around they had more than 3 children. The couple was married in Carlisle on 17th July 1879.

This seems to be the same family who appear in the 1901 Census in East Ardsley at Field Cottages:

James Russell Head Mar 46 Iron Works Loco Fitter Scotland Lennox
Susan Russell Wife Mar 41 do do
Henry Stephen Son S 17 Railway Engine Fitter Apprentice do do
Christana Russell Daur Single 13 Workington Cumberland
Ellen Russell Daur Single 7 Yorkshire East Ardsley

Well, I would say that all taken together that proves your point but the final cherry on the cake has to be the birth certificate of young Helen/Ellen.

I wonder why Hugh Scott metamorphosised into Henry Stephen in 10 years. Maybe he thought Hugh Scott was too Scottish.

Anne

[DavidWW]

....snipped...................James Russell Head Mar 35 Engine Fitter Scotland Lanarkshire
Susan Russell Wife Mar 30 do do
Susan Weir Russell Daur 10 Scholar do do
Hugh Scott Russell Son 7 do do do
Christina Russell Daur 3 Cumberland Seaton

Susan's birth in 1880 in Shotts gives her mother as Susan Weir Russell m.s. Spence but Hugh's in Cambusnethan gives mother as Susan Weir Russell m.s. Cuthbertson.

It seems that by the time you add your Helen and any more that are around they had more than 3 children. The couple was married in Carlisle on 17th July 1879.

And that's the date and place of the marriage shown on the birth register entries for Susan Weir Russell and Hugh Scott Russell, i.e. the chances that are very much that "Spence" was an error on the part of the informant.

....This seems to be the same family who appear in the 1901 Census in East Ardsley at Field Cottages:

James Russell Head Mar 46 Iron Works Loco Fitter Scotland Lennox
Susan Russell Wife Mar 41 do do
Henry Stephen Son S 17 Railway Engine Fitter Apprentice do do
Christana Russell Daur Single 13 Workington Cumberland
Ellen Russell Daur Single 7 Yorkshire East Ardsley

Well, I would say that all taken together that proves your point but the final cherry on the cake has to be the birth certificate of young Helen/Ellen.

I wonder why Hugh Scott metamorphosised into Henry Stephen in 10 years. Maybe he thought Hugh Scott was too Scottish.

Anne

Where on earth "Lennox" comes from, I know not, as there's no placename in Lanarkshire starting with Lennox ......... a mistranscription possibly?

To complete the set, here they are in 1881

Dwelling: Muirhead
Census Place: Shotts, Lanark, Scotland
Source: FHL Film 0203704 GRO Ref Volume 655-2 EnumDist 4 Page 3
Marr Age Sex Birthplace
James RUSSELL M 26 M Newmains, Lanark, Scotland
Rel: Head
Occ: Engine Fitter
Susan RUSSELL M 20 F Whitburn, Linlithgow, Scotland
Rel: Wife
Susan RUSSELL 10 m F Shotts, Lanark, Scotland
Rel: Daur


David

[emanday]

The only Lennox I know of is in Dunbartonshire.

[DavidWW]

The only Lennox I know of is in Dunbartonshire.

There's more starting with Lennox but not in Lanarkshire

David

[AnneM]

I suspect it's a mishearing of Lanark.

Anne